Stand for holding and protecting flexible trash bags

ABSTRACT

1. An outdoor stand for holding flexible trash bags at elevated position for ready collection thereof, comprising in combination: an elevated standard securable at the base end thereof to the ground; a plurality of receiving hooks at the upper end of said standard for receiving flexible cords secured about and closing the necks of said trash bags; and a plurality of artificial shrubbery branches secured to at least the lower portions of said standard, and extending in generally radial fashion therefrom, to render said stand imitative of a natural plant object, and to protect and repel animals from the periphery of said stand, to thereby protect suspended trash bags.

Oct. 15, 1974 L. A. STENWALL 3,841 948 STAND FOR HOLDING AND PROTECTING FLEXIBLE TRASH BAGS Filed March 15, 1975 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O 1 1.. A. Si'ENWALL.

STAND FOR HOLDING AND PROTECTING FLEXIBLE TRASH BAGS Filed March 15, 1973 2 Sheets-Shet 2 FIG-5 Fla -4 United States Patent O US. Cl. 16123 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An outdoor stand for holding flexible trash bags at elevated positions for ready collection thereof. The stand includes an elevatable standard comprising inner and outer telescopable members, with the outer member being securable at its base end to the ground at a users premises. A plurality of receiving hooks are present at the upper end of the standard for receiving flexible cords secured to an closing the necks of the trash bags. A plurality of artificial shrubbery branches are secured to at least the outer of said tubular members, and extend in generally radial fashion therefrom. Such branches render the stand imitative of a natural plant, and furthermore protect the suspended bags by repelling animals from the periphery of the stand.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates generally to stand-like apparatus and more specifically relates to a stand adapted to be emplaced at a home owners premises, for holding flexible trash bags which are to be collected by sanitation services.

With-in recent years, large flexible bags, typically formed of sheet polyethylene or similar low cost plastics, have come into widespread use as a disposable retaining means for trash collected about the home or industrial environments. These large flexible containers are indeed now available at such reduced cost that their numerous advantages in comparison to heavyweight garbage cans, have prompted many communities to pass local ordinances requiring that trash be packed in such bags for collection by local sanitation services.

While the advantages of the cited flexible plastic bags are many, the home owner who wishes to make use of these containers (or is compelled to do so by local ordinance), experiences considerable difiiculty when he attempts to array the filled bags for collection at the front of his premises, or at other convenient points where the sanitation services may make collection. To begin with, the bags when piled directly on the ground, are relatively unsightly. At such position they are further subject to damage, both by objects that may be on the ground and by pedestrians, vehicles, playing children, etc. that may pass in the vicinity of the bags. A principal menace, however, is presented by the many domestic and wild animals that usually abound, particularly in the vicinity of the suburbs, where such bags have come into widespread use. The said flexible bags are well known to be easily teared by the teeth or claws of small animals, and in consequence the said bags are frequently torn open and the contents strewn about the home owners premises, with obvious results that are both unsanitary and unsightly.

In accordance with the foregoing, it may be regarded as an object of the present invent-ion, to provide a stand which may be emplaced at a users premises, and which enables flexible trash bags to be readily secured thereto in such manner as to be elevated from the ground, and from the ready grasp of small animals.

-It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stand for securing thereto tied flexible trash bags which stand may be permanently installed at the home 3,841,948 Patented Oct. 15., 1974 owners premises to provide an attractive simulated shrub, and which furthermore makes use of such shrub-like characteristics to provide a protective function of repelling animals from the vicinity of the plastic bags held by the stand.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Now in accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects and others as will become apparent in the course of the ensuing specification, are achieved in an outdoor stand which may be permanently secured at the users premises, and includes an elevatable standard securable at its base end to the underlying ground. The said standard is formed from outer and inner tubular members, which are telescopable with respect to one another. The outer tubular member is secured to the ground and carries along its length a series of artificial branches, which extend in generally radial fashion from the member, to thereby provide both an attractive shrublike appearance, and as well to protecting the structure from animal approach. The inner tubular member may be raised within the outer member and locked in an elevated position. At the top of said inner member, a series of hooks are present to which may be secured the tied ends of the flexible bags.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the drawings appended hereto in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a stand in accordance with the invention, in its non-telescoped lowered position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, depicting the FIG. 1 stand in its telescoped position, with a series of flexible bags secured thereto;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a plastic flexible trash bag, tied in a manner enabling it to be secured to the stand of the invention;

FIG. 3A is a plan view of a securing loop utilized to tie the FIG. 3 bag;

FIG. 3B is a schematic view setting forth the manner in which the bag of FIG. 3 is tied by the FIG. 3A loop;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, setting forth the outer, tubular member of the stand, emplaced at a ground location;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the inner tubular member forming the second principle element in the stand of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along a line rotated with respect to 6-6 of FIG. 2 herein.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In 'FIGS. 1 and 2 a stand 10 appears, in accordance with the present invention. Stand 10 is seen to include generally a vertical standard 12, which is secured to the ground 14 by having its lower end 16 embedded in said ground. In the view shown in FIG. 1 the stand is shown in its lowered or closed position. In such position the artificial shrubbery (generally indicated at 18) which is secured to the standard 12, renders the stand such that the general appearance thereof is that of a natural object, such as a shrub or small evergreen tree.

The standard 12 is elevatable in a manner that will shortly become apparent. When the standard is thus elevated, as shown in FIG. 2, an inner tubular member 22 projects a considerable height above the closed position of FIG. 1. As will be further seen in connection with FIG. 5, only the topmost portion of the inner tubular member 22 carries several upper branches 50, and a plurality of bag hooks 36 are secured immediately below the upper branches 50, enabling a series of flexible trash bags 24 to be directly attached to such hooks, and thereby held as illustrated in FIG. 2, at an elevated position.

A typical flexible trash bag 24 utilized with the present invention is shown in elevational view in FIG. 3. Such bag does not per se form part of the present invention; however, the view is shown in order to illustrate the tying of said bag. In particular the top portion 26 of the bag is gathered by a user after trash has been accumulated in the bag. A securing loop, best seen in FIG. 3A, then is drawn about the gathered top 26 in a manner illustrated in FIG. 3B. In particular the loop 30 of FIG. 3A, comprises a closed continuous piece of material as, for example, of cord, plastic or the like. After the top of the big is gathered, as seen in FIG. 3A, the loop 30 is passed, typically two times, about the reduced neck portion 28. Thereupon the first loop end 32 is passed through the second loop end 34. As loop end 32 is then drawn, a choking effect is achieved which securely closes the end of the bag 24. At the same time the first loop end 32 is now ready to be directly secured to the overhanging loops 36, and when such is eifected not only are the bags held securely, but the choking efiect produced by gravity acting on bag 24 is such as to retain the bag in a tightly closed manner at its elevated position.

As best seen in the view of FIG. 4, outer tubular member 20 is preferably secured to the home owners premises by being embedded into the earth 14. The lower end of member 20, as seen at 16, may extend a length approximately equal to that extending above the ground. In a typical instance, this might be a distance of some 2 feet. End 16 is preferably retained in the ground by a lower layer of gravel 38, and by an upper layer of concrete 39. Although this is a preferable manner for embedding portion 16, satisfactory results may also be achieved by merely embedding such portion in earth alone. Particularly where earth is thus used without additional concrete or gravel, ready holding of portion 16 is facilitated by incorporation of a plurality of fin-like elements 40, extending outwardly from the bottom of portion 16. A series of drainage holes 56 are also provided about the lower end of portion 16, in order to enable water to drain out through the tubular structure, thereby increasing the life thereof.

It is seen in FIG. 4 that member 20 carries along its entire above-ground length a series of branches 44 (for simplicity the entire series of branches are not shown, but these do in practice extend to the top of 20). Branches 44 are artificial, plastic or metallic structures, imitative of natural evergreens or the like, and are secured at their lower ends 46 to member 20 by means of bands 48 passing about member 20 and about the lower base ends of the branches. Such bands typically are formed of plastic metal bands, or tape-like material and retain the branches by tight frictional engagement. A bolt 42 is also seen (in part) at the upper portion of member 20, and the function of such bolt will become apparent momentarily.

It will be noted that the branches 44 in the present stand are each oriented in generally radial fashion with respect to the member 20. It will be further noted that the orientation thereof is such that the branches extend in a general direction above the horizontal plane; in other words, such branches are tipped in an upward direction with respect to the horizontal. The function of thus arranging the branches is not only one of providing an attractive and ornamental appearance by the present device, but moreover one of discouraging and indeed repelling the animals which normally seek to obtain the contents of the suspended bagsv In particular the orientation of the branches including the sharp needle-like elements that commonly are associated with artificial evergreens is such as to produce an impaling effect as an animal seeks to approach the standard 12. Accordingly, the animal is repelled all the more, as he attempts to reach the overlying bagswhich are thereby safeguarded.

In FIG. the inner tubular member 22 which telescopes Within member of FIG. 4 is seen. It will firstly be noted that only several branches 50 (as previously indicated) are present at the upper portion of member 22. It will be apparent that when member 22, as shown in FIG. 1, is in its untelescoped, recessed position the several branches 50 form a continuity with the branches on the member 20 so as to add to the illusion seen in FIG. 1, of a natural object. As previously indicated, the hooks 36 are positioned by bolting, welding, etc., immediately below the several branches 50 where the loop ends 32 may be directly secured thereto. When member 22 is lowered to its untelescoped position, the bases of hooks 36 are received within slots 37 at the top of member 20, so that visual continuity of branches 44 is assured. Member 22 is seen to carry a pair of longitudinally directed slots 52 therein (but a single slot is apparent in the plane of the drawing, with a second slot being immediately therebehind at a diametrically opposed point). The slots 52 terminate at their lower end in offset slots 54 (such slots for reasons that will be apparent extend in opposite directions along the periphery of the pipe). The manner in which the slots function will be evident from consideration of 'FIG. 6, which is a cross-secional view taken along a line rotated with respect to 66 of FIG. 2. In particular, a transverse member in the form of a bolt 42 extends through standard 12, so that such bolt passes through both the outer tubular member at a pair of diametrically opposed holes present therein, and through the inner tubular member at the aligned slots 52. When the property owner wishes to make use of the stand he merely raises the inner tubular member 22 so that the bolt guides the slots 52 as the inner member is raised. Upon member 22 being raised to its uppermost point, it is rotated slightly, so that the bolt now engages within the pair of olfset slots 54 and may hold the member 22 in its raised position by means of the shoulder 58 defined at the upper edge of the offset slots 54.

While the present invention has been particularly set forth in terms of a specific embodiment thereof it will be understood in view of the instant disclosure, that numerous variations upon the invention are now enabled to those skilled in the art, which variations yet reside within the scope of the instant teaching. Accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed and limited only by the scope and spirit of the claims now appended hereto.

I claim:

1. An outdoor stand for holding flexible trash bags at elevated position for ready collection thereof, comprising in combination:

an elevatable standard secur'able at the base end thereof to the ground;

a plurality of receiving hooks at the upper end of said standard for receiving flexible cords secured about and closing thenecks of said trash bags; and

a plurality of artificial shru-bbery branches secured to at least the lower portions of said standard, and extending in generally radial fashion therefrom, to render said stand imitative of a natural plant object, and to protect and repel animals from the periphery of said stand, to thereby protect suspended trash bags.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said standard comprises an outer tubular member secured to said ground, and an inner tubular member telescopable within said outer member; means for locking said inner and outer members in a telescoped extended position; and wherein said branches are secured to at least the length of said outer member, whereby when said telescopable pieces are collapsed, said shrubbery extends substantially the length of the collapsed structure.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein further the upper end of said outer tubular member carries said branches.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said branches are secured to said standard by bands passing about at least the outer tubular member and engaging the bases of said branches against said standard.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said branches are displaced in an upward direction with respect to a horizontal plane, to augment the protective function thereof.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said inner tubular member carries a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending slots, respectively'terminating at offset oppositely directed slots; and further including a transverse member passing through said outer tubular member and the said pair of slots of said' iiirier tubular member; whereby said standard is elevatable by raising said inner member as said transverse member slides in said slots, and rotating said inner member upon maximum extension being reached, to lock said transverse member into said offset slots.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, including holes formed in the walls of said outer member at the bottom portion thereof, to facilitate water drainage.

6 8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further including cross support members at the bottom of said outer tubular member, for augmenting anchoring of said member in the ground.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,472,410 6/1949 Ferrell et al. 248-97 3,471,968 10/1969 Letz 248-97 UX 3,659,816 5/1972 Wilson 248-97 10 3,773,286 11/1973 Govoni eta]. 24897 WILLIAM E. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

1. An outdoor stand for holding flexible trash bags at elevated position for ready collection thereof, comprising in combination: an elevated standard securable at the base end thereof to the ground; a plurality of receiving hooks at the upper end of said standard for receiving flexible cords secured about and closing the necks of said trash bags; and a plurality of artificial shrubbery branches secured to at least the lower portions of said standard, and extending in generally radial fashion therefrom, to render said stand imitative of a natural plant object, and to protect and repel animals from the periphery of said stand, to thereby protect suspended trash bags. 